How Do You Achieve a Work-Life Balance and Still Be Successful?

Earlier this week, I wrote about feeling overwhelmed lately at work and my decision to try and “uninstall stress.” Life can be hard, especially when you’re trying to cultivate a successful career. And as much as I would love to believe that things would get easier as time goes on (and some things would), the truth of the matter is that I don’t want to just stay where I am. I want to move up and be more successful through the years. That means a LOT of extra work on my part. That means that most likely, I will always have to battle stress—so I’d better get used to it.

"Jump in water over your head," advises
Keith Krach, DocuSign's CEO.
Image: Shutterstock

The good news for me—and for anyone else in a similar situation—is that there are plenty of good examples to follow. I don’t believe that any one person will have all the answers I need (we’re all individuals with different needs and abilities), but I do believe that I can learn a little something from everyone.

I read a fantastic article the other day that really opened my eyes to just how differently high-powered individuals around the country handle their massive responsibilities. I’m not planning on becoming a CEO anytime soon, but there’s some great advice here. 

Moving up in my career always feels a little like almost drowning. I get completely inundated by new responsibilities and the pressure to perform kicks in. Usually that comes with a bit of panic, but it also kicks my determination drive up a notch. Keith Krach, DocuSign’s CEO, has some great advice that really hits home for me:

“Jump in water over your head. When you see an opportunity, take the risk and jump. It’s scary, and there will be times you’ll get burned, but the overall payoff can be tremendous,” he said in an interview with Fortune. I have found that living that way gets addictive. The rush of pushing yourself, betting on yourself, and learning from the good, bad, ugly, and epic cannot be matched—that, to me, is really living.”

In other words, you’ll never learn how to swim if you don’t go in water that’s a little too deep.

This next quote comes from Andrew Wilkinson, founder of MetaLab. And I have found it to be incredibly true over the past year:

“You don’t have to make yourself miserable to be successful. It’s natural to look back and mythologize the long nights and manic moments of genius, but success isn’t about working hard, it’s about working smart.”

One of the biggest things I see in myself and others is not taking the time to really look inside ourselves and figure out what we want, need, love, or hate. Marissa Mayer’s advice:

“Burnout is about resentment. [Preventing it is] about knowing yourself well enough to know what it is you’re giving up that makes you resentful.”

An underlying theme I see in many top executives’ advice is this: work more efficiently, not just more. Find the easiest solution to a problem. Organize your work life in a way that allows you to get everything done while still being able to take time for play. It’s not easy by any means, but it’s also not impossible.

Why A Mental Health Day Is Okay

When stress stacks up, it's time for a mental health day.
Image: Shutterstock

I’m lucky enough that my current job is one that I don’t mind waking up and going to each morning during the week. It wasn’t always that way, so I’m grateful each day for being able to do something I love. But even working in a world where I get to do things I like every day can be stressful at times. Projects come in, sometimes piling up so high that there seems to be no end in sight. Some weeks, emotions run high, and just being in the office can be enough to add extra stress. Sometimes, I just need a mental health day.

To be clear, I’m one of those people that almost never takes a sick day. Other than pre-scheduled days off, if I’m not in, it’s usually because I either a) literally can’t function, or b) am being forced to stay home by my significant other. But I’m beginning to realize that for me to stay motivated, sometimes I need to take an extra day for me. Sometimes, the relaxation time I need to stay focused doesn’t fit into that neat little Saturday-Sunday slot. And that’s 100% okay.

This year especially, I’ve started paying more attention to my body. The messages it sends me inform when I need a mental health day.

When I’m still stressed out from last week on Monday, it’s usually a good sign that I need a little more down time. On these days, I often work from home, leave work a few hours early, or go in a little later than normal. If I’m really stressed, I’ll take the day off completely.

Spend mental health days relaxing, NOT working!
Image: Shutterstock

If I am feeling particularly snippy around home or in the office, I need to take a breather. Taking the day off to relax, accomplish some items on an overflowing to-do list, and find tranquility in the ways I know best, is usually all I need to perk right back up.

Like I said, I love my job. But some days, it doesn’t feel like it. I’m lethargic, apathetic, and have a generally pessimistic view of whatever I’m working on. Perhaps I’m feeling anxious or overly sensitive. I’m watching the clock, and each minute is ticking by excruciatingly slowly. I want to be anywhere but at work, and perhaps it would be best for everyone if I weren’t. 

 Asking for these days off might be tricky for some. My boss knows that the work we do gets stressful sometimes, and she is a big proponent of mental health days when we need them—as long as we’re not taking them all the time. It’s a rarity to be enjoyed every once in a while. But other bosses might be a little more sensitive, so keep that in mind. Don’t lie; simply tell him or her that you need a personal day.

If you can, try and schedule your day in advance, ensuring that there will be no fires for coworkers to put out while you are gone. Plus, then it gives you something to look forward to for a few days. While you are off, take time to relax, catching up on extra sleep, doing something you love, and limiting how much work you do.

Taking good care of your body isn’t always just about eating right and exercising; it’s about mental health, too. Our brains are muscles, and just like they need to be worked out, they also need to get some rest time in. Trust me, allowing yourself the leeway of a mental health day here and there will be better for everyone.

I love reading and spending time with my dog. I’m always working on a creative writing project, so mental health days generally include some work on that. What would you do with a mental health day? Tell me what makes you happiest in the world.